Wednesday 18 August 2010

Hiking Boots

All my life, at least until I entered college, my parents took care of all my expenses. In college, my parents paid my tuition fees (which were relatively modest, being a public university) but I otherwise managed to support myself by doing internships and teaching tuition classes. For a short while, I had a research stipend which allowed me to live comfortably if not luxuriously.

All my life, I have never owned more than three pairs of covered shoes at a time: formal shoes, trainers and football boots. I have trekked in the Himalayas in trainers – one trail took us to over 18,000 ft – and maintained, not without a touch of disdain, that only people who were not surefooted enough needed specialized boots for hiking.

And now, for climbing a puny 2,930 ft mountain in Wales, I bought myself a pair of hiking boots.

This is what happens when you are gainfully employed.

6 comments:

Kroswami said...

incorrect.
this is what happens when you earn thousands of frikkin POUNDS

Sroyon said...

...in an country where everything else also costs thousands of frikkin pounds.

The Reluctant Rebel said...

The boots don't cost thousands of pouds. Kels!

Rara Avis said...

Sessski.

Rara Avis said...

London photos and stories?

Priyanka said...

You could dig up bog bodies in those.